Fact Sheet

General Information:

Both adults and nymphs feed on spider mites, aphids, thrips, caterpillars and insect eggs,. They feed by piercings their prey and then sucking the body fluid using their beak, or rostrum. They can feed on pollen when prey is not avaliable. They can eat 30 of more spider mites a day.

Description:

Adults are very tiny,1/16 inch long, oval in shape, and are black with white wing patches. Nymphs are wingless, teardrop shaped and ranging in color from yellow orange to brown.

Life Cycle:

Adults over winter as adults. Females lay eggs in plant tissues. Eggs hatch in 4 to 6 days. Nymphs pass through 5 stages over the next 20 days. Adults live about 35 days and females can lay 130 eggs during her life time.